The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-05-07
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Behind the Counter, or the Trials and
Encouragements OF Clerks.


Brooklyn, taking for his text the follow
ing passages And certain woman
named Lydia, a seller Of purple, OF the City
of Thyatira, which worshipped God,
heard u.s. whose heart the Lord opened
Acts xvi, L.
Seest thou man diligent in his
businessy He shall stand before Kings
proverbs xii, 20.
The first passage introduces to you
Lydia, Christian merchantess. Her
business is 70 deal in purple cloths
or silks. She is not giggling non
entity, but practical woman, not
ashamed to work for her living. All
the other women of Philippi and
Thy atira have been forgotten; but God
has made immortal in our text Lydia,
the Christian saleswoman.
The other text shows you a man
with head, and hand, and heart and
foot, all busy toiling on up until he
gains princely success.
Seest thou man diligent in his bust
ness lie shall stand before Kings.
Great encouragement in these two
passages for men and women who
will be busy, but no solace for those
who are waiting for good luck TO show
them, at the foot of the rainbow, a
casket of buried gold.
1t is folly for anybody in this world
TO wait for something TO turn up. 1t
will turn down. The law Of thrift is
as memorable as the law OF the tides.
Fortune, the magician, may wave her
arm i'm that direction until castles and
palaces come; but she will, after
awhile, invert the same wand and all
the splendors will vanish into thin air.
There are certain styles of behavior
which lead TO usefulness, honor and
permanent success, and there are GER
tain styles of behavior which lead to
dust, dishonor and moral default. i
would like TO fire the ambition OF
young people. / have no sympathy
with those who would prepare young
folks for life by whiting down their
expectations. That man or woman
will be worth nothing to Church or
State who begins life cowed down.
The business of Christianity is not TO
quench but TO direct human ambition.
Therefore IL is that | come out this
morning and utter words OF encourage
ment TO those who are occupied as
clerks in the stores, and shops, and
banking houses of the country.
In the first place, council clerks to
remember that for the most part their
clerkship Is only a school from which
they are 20 be graduated. IL takes
about eight years 20 get one or the
learned professions. IL takes about
a., -. ha n
Some of you will be clerks all your
lives, but the vast majority of you are
only in transient position. After
awhile, some December day, the head
men of the firm will call you into the
back Office, and they will say TO you;
Now, you have done well by us;
we are going 10 do well by you. We
invite you TO have an interest in oui
concern"
You will bow TO that edict very
gracefully. Getting into a street cal
to 90 home, an old comrade will meet
you and say;
what makes you look so happy
to-nighty"
"Oh," you will say, nothing, moth
ing" !,
But in few days your name viii
blossom on the sign. Either in th'
store or bank where you are now, or II
some store or bank, you will take
higher position than that which yoi
now occupy. So / feel to-day that
am standing before people who vii
vet have their hand on the helm Of tn
worlds commerce, and you will turn
this way or that; now clerks, but to b
bankers, importers, insurance compan.
directors, shippers, contractors, super
intendents of railroads your vote
mighty son Change" standing fore
most in the great financial and relig
ious enterprises of the day. For, thoug
we who are in the professions may, o.
the platform, plead for the philanthro
pies. after all the merchants mus
come with their millions TO sustain tn
movement.
BE, therefore, patient and diiigen
In this transient position. You ar
now where you can learn things yol
can never learn In any other plac,
What you consider your disadvan
taQes are your grand opportunity.
But YOU say: "Will the womanl
clerks In our stores have promotionf
Yes. Time Is coming when wome
win be as well paid for their toll !
mercantile circles as men are now PAL
for their toll. Time is coming when
woman will be allowed to do anythin
thav can do we'll IL Is only littl